Fall 2005—November E-update
Volume 1 | Issue 1 | Revision 2
Featured in this edition:
Homecoming 2005 Recap
292 alumni members joined with us October 14-16 to celebrate West Virginia University ’s Homecoming Weekend. This year, thirty-four new members marched with the Alumni Band. The weekend offered several enduring memories. A new Big East football rivalry was seeded this year when WVU took Louisville to task in an exciting overtime homecoming victory. A seating shuffle following pre-game also provided for some awkward, though memorable, moments. Overall, great weather, great music and great spirits prevailed allowing for an enjoyable weekend. Homecoming Weekend wouldn’t be successful without you – our members – for actively supporting your alumni band and its activities. As of November 1, a total of 443 members had renewed sustaining memberships for the 2005-2006 year. Your continuing support is greatly appreciated!
Alumni Band executive officers were elected at Homecoming and this season features an experienced returning team: Vice-President and Immediate Past-President, Kim Nicholas (’77-’81, mellophone); Secretary, Cheryl Nail (’78-82, piccolo); and Treasurer, Ann Chandler (’76-’83, piccolo.) Nugent and Nicholas essentially switched roles and the whole team looks forward to working with a dedicated and experienced group of alums to continue growing our organization.
For their years of continued commitment and service to the WVU Alumni Band, Ann Chandler and Cheryl Nail were both honored at Homecoming 2005 as “Most Outstanding Alumni.” Other notable 2005 Homecoming award winners included: Ed Eiland (’37-’41, clarinet) – “Oldest Attending Alumni” and Tim Valentine (’99-’02, trombone) – recipient of a WVU Alumni Association Lifetime Membership.
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Homecoming 2005 Evaluation Survey
The Alumni Band is conducting a follow-up evaluation survey of Homecoming Weekend 2005 that will be used in planning the 2006 event. Alumni are encouraged to provide your feedback by completing our survey. Alumni submitting an evaluation with their name and contact information will be eligible for a $50 Alumni Band gift certificate prize drawing. The survey will be available through Monday, November 21, 2005. You can submit a survey by visiting the Alumni Band Website at: http://alumniband.wvu.edu/ or directly at: http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=439.
A few members reported frustrations with survey submission issues. Your feedback was appreciated and technical issues have been resolved. Members will know they’ve successfully completed an evaluation survey if an automated “thank you” response is received via e-mail. If you attempted to submit a survey but are unsure whether it was received, please e-mail us at: AlumniBand@mail.wvu.edu. Your survey responses will help us refine the process for next year’s event.
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2005 WVU Alumni Band Takes Eastern Europe
Deb Eakins ('77-'81, tuba) who served as Tour Band Chair for the Central European Trip reports that the summer 2005 trip was a blast. Fifty-five participants toured Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria, playing six concerts in five countries in twelve days! The performing group included the concert band and a small jazz ensemble featuring James Miltenburger and Curtis Johnson of the WVU music faculty. The trip provided a great opportunity for discovering a Central European region rich in culture, yummy cuisines, thought provoking history and interesting folklore all while spreading Mountaineer spirit.
The trip required extensive coordination to ensure success. Longtime alumni friend, Anita Lawson served as as tour organizer and handled all plane reservations, correspondence, scheduling, assembling of music in conjunction with the WVU Band Office. The tour coordinator, host and travel guide while in Europe was Patrick Vanlerberghe, a Belgian. As previously mentioned, Eakins served as Alumni Band liaison. Thanks to all who helping with making the trip an enjoyable success! (Updated 11/21 - Rev. 1)
Musicians performed the concerts in unique venues including town squares, public parks, a river cruise and at a winery, (note to Director Wilcox: play first, then partake in the culture after the concert.) The tour also provided many memorable moments, including an outdoor final concert deluge that left Dr. James Miltenberger's Jazz Band "Singing in Rain." The jazz band and concert band joined together to perform "Country Roads" which audiences enjoyed as much as our musical mountaineers. Deb Eakins assures us there was time in the schedule to relax a bit between concerts, touring museums and historical points of interest, shopping and river rafting.
Much like the whirlwind of homecoming it was a terrific experience and a great time with old and new friends. Plans are already being made for the next excursion. Where in the world will the WVU Alumni Band play next? Wherever we travel, we hope you'll consider traveling along!
More information will be provided as tour plans progress.
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Next Upcoming Alumni Band Meeting – November 25, 2005
On Friday, November 25, 2005 – the evening following Thanksgiving’s WVU-Pitt Backyard Brawl – the WVU Alumni Band Executive Committee will hold a general business meeting. If you’re looking for an enjoyable respite from Black Friday shopping, relatives or football games or just traveling through the Morgantown area, please consider joining fellow WVU Alumni Band for a meal and meeting. The meeting will be on the Evansdale Campus at Panera Bread, located along Patteson Drive by the intersection and stoplight adjacent to Taco Bell and Eat-n-Park. Alumni are welcome to join this “Dutch treat” meeting to reconnect, socialize and eat beginning at 5:30 PM. The business meeting will begin at 6:00 PM on Friday, November 25 and members are welcome to submit discussion items for agenda consideration.
A preliminary agenda for the November 2005, 6-8 PM business meeting at Panera Bread includes the following items:
- Recap of minutes from the HC2005 Executive Committee Debriefing Meeting
- Membership updates: communications, address changes, birthdays, anniversaries, dates of note
- Financial updates: HC2005 expenses reimbursed
- Review and discussion of HC2005 Evaluation Survey responses
- Discussion regarding Alumni Band member-solicitation policies
- Overview and discussion regarding the new LISTSERV
- Discussion regarding interest, importance and issues associated with digitizing old WVU Band content
- Planning interests for 2006
- Next meeting, upcoming events, topics of interest
- Announcements for the good of the organization
For planning purposes if you plan to attend the November 25 meeting, please e-mail AlumniBand@mail.wvu.edu to let officers know you’re interested in attending so enough seating can be ensured. Again, if there’s business you’d like to considered for the 6:00 PM business meeting agenda, please contact us.
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Updated WVU Alumni Band Member Directory Available
Alumni Band Directories have been printed and shipped to those who pre-ordered with the latest information from Homecoming. Members who haven’t received their pre-order, should contact Cheryl Nail, Secretary at: (304) 292-9597 or via e-mail at:
canail@aol.com.
Directories are available for $12 (shipping included) to members. Special sectisons include a maiden names listing, to help you remember old friend’s last names after they were married. A lost members section is also in the directory. Members are asked to help us locate and connect with our lost alumni. Our lost-member roster has been published online to help the Alumni Band obtain updated contact information from site visitors. The roster can be viewed at: http://alumniband.wvu.edu/lost_members/
Members interested in purchasing a directory or other merchandise should visit the Website at: http://alumniband.wvu.edu/merchandise.htm to view merchandise, print an order form and mail it with payment to our postal address at:
WVU Alumni Band
Box 1028
Dellslow, WV, 26531-1028
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WVU Bands Change Leadership
Another on-field WVU success, the 350+ member-strong 2005 WVU Band recently transitioned to new leadership.
The WVU Alumni Band was pleased to have WVU Director of Bands John Hendricks (‘79-’83, trombone and drum major) and Director of the Mountaineer Marching Band, Jay Drury (‘89-’93, trumpet) provide an update with current Band news following the Saturday morning Homecoming rehearsal. Both spoke to the legacy Don Wilcox fostered during his 34-year tenure, as well as the importance of the Alumni Band as an important and positive factor in the band’s continued development.
Hendricks was highlighted in the WVU Alumni Magazine—Fall 2005 edition as the new director of bands at WVU. Returning to his alma maters from Rutgers University in 1993, he took leadership of the band in 1998 succeeding Don Wilcox. The Shepherdstown (Jefferson County), W.Va., native also served as drum major and graduate assistant with the band. At the time of this publishing, the article was not available online.
Drury was recently featured in a Mountaineer Sports Network (MSN) Mountaineer Magazine segment. As an Oak Glen (Hancock County), W.Va., native and graduate of the band program, Drury spoke of the pleasure and pride it brings him to serve as the 11th director of “The Pride of West Virginia.” The video clip can be viewed online at:
http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=464.
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WVU Bands Update
Directors Hendricks and Drury also provided an update at Homecoming on this season’s WVU Band activities and future plans. The band has made several regional trips this season, including a trip to West Virginia ’s eastern panhandle, Washington, D.C., and College Park, Md., for the WVU-UMD game, as well as a trip to Charleston, W.Va., for the 59 th Majorette Festival. A holiday bowl game would provide yet another exciting travel opportunity for the 2005 edition of “The Pride of West Virginia.”
Budget shortfalls are affecting many areas of higher education, and the WVU Band is no exception. While operating expenses like travel, instrument and uniform parts and repairs continue to rise, the dollar amount allotted to the band's general operating accounts has not increased in the past several years. As a result, donations and endowments from individuals, families, and businesses have become critically important to sustaining an award-winning program.
At the Homecoming meeting, Hendricks announced a WVU Band phone-a-thon in conjunction with the WVU Foundation to raise needed general operating funds. Many alumni members have already heard and answered the call to support the WVU Band and the Band Office is greatly appreciative. Additional continuing support will be required to grow the program. A Foundation-led campaign to raise funds for new band uniforms is planned for next summer. New uniforms could be premiered within the next two years if the campaign goes as planned.
Members who did not receive a phone-a-thon call and want to help the band are asked to contact the Band Office at: (304) 293-4841 (x3154) or either director via e-mail. Hendricks can be reached at: John.Hendricks@mail.wvu.edu. Drury can be reached at:
Jay.Drury@mail.wvu.edu.
Members wanting to contribute a tax-deductible donation to the WVU Band, should contact the Band Office at the phone number above, or send donations to:
WVU Band Office
Box 6111
Morgantown, WV 26505-6111.
Checks should be made to the WVU Foundation. Assistance is also available for those desiring to make a substantial contribution to the program or start a band endowment. Members can also continue to support the WVU Band by contributing to the Alumni Band’s endowment program.
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Annual Key Notes Concerts to be Held November 28-29
“The Pride of West Virginia” will take the stage at the Creative Arts Center the evening of Monday and Tuesday, November 28-29, 2005 at 7:30 PM, to perform the annual end-of-season Key Notes Concert. Pre-game and halftime musical selections from this season will be played and the 2005 Outstanding Senior Award will be announced. Per tradition, the most outstanding senior will lead the band in the singing of the alma mater.
The Key Notes Concert is a ticketed event. For tickets and concert information, call the WVU Box Office at (304) 293-SHOW.
Read the complete 2005 Key Notes news release with songlist at: http://wvuband.org/content/view/286/344/. (Updated 11/21 - Rev. 2)
Other events of interest to members can be found on the Alumni Band Calendar at: http://calendar.wvu.edu/alumband/ or at Alumni Association Calendar at: http://calendar.wvu.edu/alumni/.
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2004 Commemorative WVU Marching Band CD and DVD Has Arrived!
The WVU Band Office reports the 2004 Commemorative Edition CD and DVD is available for purchase! All pre-orders were shipped in October. Please contact the WVU Band Office if your pre-ordered shipment wasn’t received. Those interested in purchasing a CD-DVD may contact the WVU Band Office or visit the Website at: http://www.wvuband.org/.
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“The Don” Retires
As many already know, Don Wilcox retired at the end of the spring 2005 semester as director of bands, after 34-years of impassioned and pride-inspiring work. Wilcox’s tenure was celebrated this past year with several notable events including a Homecoming 2004 Alumni Band reception, a special concert series featuring a special musical piece commissioned by the Omicron Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, and being elevated to professor emeritus at WVU.
Wilcox plans to enjoy sharing his time with family and will continue his connection with the extended WVU Band family and the WVU Alumni Band. Wilcox can be e-mailed at:
Don.Wilcox@mail.wvu.edu.
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WVU Band Has a New Announcer
In September 2005 Bill Nevin, manager of external communications for WVU News and Information Services, succeeded Frank “Doc” Stevens, who served as the announcer for “The Pride of West Virginia” for more than 44 years before his 2004 passing. Nevin began announcing the band at the start of the 2005 season beginning with the September 10, WVU-Wofford game. He also has traveled with the band on its regional trips this season.
“I am truly honored to be part of the best collegiate marching band in the country,” said Nevin on being named announcer. “And to follow the legendary Doc Stevens is no easy task, but I’m really excited and looking forward to it.”
The Ottawa, Ill., native graduated from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in radio-television. He is scheduled to graduate from WVU with a master’s degree in integrated marketing in May 2006. Before joining WVU, Nevin worked for West Virginia Radio Corporation for 11 years in various news positions.
More details about the new announcer can be read at:
http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=465.
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Alumni Band Member Notes
Alumni and current Pride-member Dr. Larry Schwab, MD (’55-’62 ’00-‘05) was featured for his continued leadership – in his profession and community – in the WVU Alumni Magazine—Spring 2005 edition. Long-time area writer Mickey Furfari wrote the article that was also featured in the Times West Virginian.
The full article on Schwab can be read at: http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=466.
Member notes, updates and content of interest in general or for future publishing may be e-mailed to:
AlumniBand@mail.wvu.edu.
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Other WVU Music Notes
Congratulations are in order for West Virginia University 's Omicron Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi. During the 2005 summer the chapter was honored at the fraternity's national convention as one of the top chapters in the country. The chapter came in 2nd place after an arduous discussion amongst fraternity leaders. Omicron continually ranks as an outstanding chapter in the Northeast and Nationally.
Omicron will also celebrate its 80th anniversary in the spring of 2006. All Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma alums will be invited to help celebrate the continued service to the WVU bands.
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New Alumni Band Season, New Alumni Communication Emphasis
OK, while this Alumni Band LISTSERV isn’t nearly as exciting WVU’s recent on-field athletic engagements, it’s your president’s hope this update has been welcoming and beneficial.
One of the key goals for 2005-2006, is continuing communication with alumni. The proposed Alumni Band LISTSERVs and our Website represent low-cost, high-speed communication methods. While your president is a younger alumnus and an admitted-technophile, it doesn’t mean the Alumni Band mailed communication will be abandoned. On the contrary, initial evaluation survey responses show a membership appreciation for the printed mailing; when used effectively though, LISTSERVs and the Website may allow for more efficient use of limited print communications space. Simply put, these technologies provide another medium to stay connected with alumni.
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LISTSERV Help
Members interested in LISTSERVs may visit the Alumni Band Website at: http://alumniband.wvu.edu/listservs/ to learn more about how the technology and plans for future use. The Alumni Band LISTSERVs represent an ongoing, evolving project.
If you’d prefer the WVU Alumni Band not e-mail you future periodic updates via this LISTSERV or have general questions, please visit the Alumni Band Website at: http://alumniband.wvu.edu/ to learn how to modify your LISTSERV subscription or more about LISTSERVs in general.
Remember, you can always stay in touch with the WVU Band and Alumni Band by visiting us online. Be sure to check out the Band’s site at: http://www.theprideofwestvirginia.org/ or http://www.wvuband.org/. The Alumni Band site can be visited at: http://alumniband.wvu.edu/.
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Let’s go Mountaineers…
Originally Published: November 18, 2005
Last Updated:
November 21, 2005
Editor and Publisher
Wes Nugent, 2005-2006 WVU Alumni Band President
Revisions to this Edition:
-
11/21: suggested by Don Wilcox, included by the Editor
-
11/21: Key Notes news release available, included by the Editor
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